The Start of Christmas Crafts

Christmas has always been my favorite time of year. Or, at least it was. Some how I lost all sorts of Christmas Cheer for quite a few years. But nothing will stop the amazing feeling of making something for someone and seeing their faces or knowing how much it means. That's why I make things for the people I love! So while Christmas is just an excuse to get artsy, I do it for the people I care about. So here's the start of the craziness this year!

This is the EASIEST wreath to make... ever. Take a bunch of ornaments. I think I got a tube of 55 of them for less than $10 and I caught a sale at Michael's for the ribbon. Take a wire hanger, unwrap the connection. I bent it to make it round. Simply thread through all the ornaments and re-wrap the wire at the end. I had enough to put every ornament on the wire hanger. I added a bow and POOF. Fastest and easiest thing I made all year.

The big time consuming project I did this year was for a friend back home in Maryland. She text me three photos and said.. CAN YOU DO THIS?! Her grandmother had made these for all the cousins and she wanted to do a whole set for the younger generation. I of course said absolutely. Family traditions are what it's all about.

So of course I had a few questions... dimensions and construction. She told me measurements and I was off to the races to figure it all out. I made a prototype and tested the stitching of the names. 

I ONLY made 17 in total.... They took about two weeks and I changed the pattern about two full mailboxes in. I made the ends a little differently and it helped with construction. I found it easier to go ahead and make all the separate pieces and laid them out in little piles once the names and flags were sewn on. I spent about 3 hours one night watching Netflix and making mailboxes. 

I wish I took more photos of them but this is what I found on my phone for documentation. 

The family LOVED them and that's what matters!

I had done some plastic canvas projects back in Girl Scouts. Like tissue box covers. I found this a little more challenging only due to figuring out construction. Overall, a pretty easy craft and ornament for Christmas. Just leave yourself some time to complete it all. AKA START NOW if you're doing a lot of them. (Take it from me!)